Any time of year, coping with a loved one in the hospital can be challenging. Your loved one is in pain, so you are, too. You feel guilty that you can’t spend 24/7 with him or her, and you worry when you are not there to help. If you have others, like children, who rely on you, you’re split two ways. You’re physically and emotionally exhausted.

Now throw the holidays into the mix. All your comforting rituals and routines are disrupted. How will you pull the big holiday dinner together? When will you find time to buy gifts? Who’s writing and sending out the Christmas cards? Will there be time to make latkes with the kids for Hanukkah? How can you hope to meet all the usual holiday expectations?

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With holiday season upon us, many people are thinking about getting that first family pet. After all, what lights up a child’s eyes more than their first puppy or kitten?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recently launched a revised Healthy Pets Healthy People website, caring for a companion animal has many proven health benefits, including reducing blood pressure, cholesterol levels and feelings of loneliness. Pets can also increase opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities.

“The bond between animals and humans is part of our evolution, and it’s very powerful,” says Ann Berger, MD, MSN, a physician and researcher at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md.

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Do you start to feel sad when daylight saving time kicks in and the days become shorter and darker? Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, may affect up to 10 percent of people living in colder climates, but the good news is that it is eminently treatable.

Shorter, colder and darker days can cause the brain to produce less serotonin, a mood elevator, and more melatonin, which is linked to sleep. The result can be depression, anxiety, mood swings, overeating, lethargy and sleep problems that can start in the fall and last until May.

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December can be stressful. It often brings extra social and financial obligations. It can cause a breakdown of healthy eating and exercise habits. It can also leave you feeling lonely or depressed. But you and your family can adopt some new traditions that may help ease the season's stress and make your holidays healthy and happy.

Your Physical Health

When the holidays become more than you bargained for, your health can be compromised. And stress can put extra demands on your body. Here are some tips on keeping up your health during the holiday season:

• Don't do too much. Give yourself some time to relax.
• Share the workload. Let everyone play an active role. Make the holidays a family affair so you're not burdened with all the work.
• Set priorities. You can't do everything. Say no to some of the demands on your time.
• Simplify your life. Be less elaborate this year. Relax your housekeeping and holiday preparations.
• Continue to exercise. Don't let your regular routine lapse.
• Eat healthy foods. Limit your consumption of high-fat holiday treats. Serve healthy fare at your family's holiday party.

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